By Esther Wright
In a significant development for Sierra Leone’s banking sector, Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, has on Friday August 9, 2024 been unanimously elected as the 2nd Vice President of the West African Bankers Association (WABA). The decision was made during WABA’s 78th Executive Council Meeting and 42nd General Assembly, held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen.
The twin event, organized by the WABA Secretariat in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Commercial Banks, marked a pivotal moment for the country’s banking industry. The vacancy for the 2nd Vice Presidency arose following Senegal’s withdrawal from the organization, creating an opportunity for Sierra Leone to secure a key leadership position within the sub-regional group.
Dr. Gilpin’s nomination was supported by key figures in the banking industry, including WABA’s 1st Vice President, Dele Alabi from Nigeria and former WABA Secretary Generals, Alie Ceesay from The Gambia and Hanson Abosi from Nigeria. The endorsement was further solidified by Akin Morakinyo, Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
The two-day event featured discussions on critical issues such as Cross Border Settlement Systems, International Financial Reporting Standards, Risk Management, Technology Adoption, as well as presentations of annual financial and audit reports.
As WABA aims to become the most impactful Bankers’ Association on the continent by 2030, Dr. Gilpin’s election comes at a crucial time. The Association has been instrumental in supporting ECOWAS and other sub-regional entities, particularly in the ongoing efforts to establish a single currency in West Africa.
The assembly attracted numerous distinguished personalities, including Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Kadiatu Allie, who represented the Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, as the keynote speaker. Other notable attendees included Sierra Leone Central Bank Governor, Dr. Ibrahim Steven, Central Bank of Guinea Governor, Karamo Kabah, Director General of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), Momodu Samba Saho, Director General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), Olorunsonla Olowofeso and Dr. Baba Y. Musa from the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM).
Dr. Gilpin’s appointment is expected to further enhance Sierra Leone’s influence within WABA and contribute significantly to the Association’s ambitious goals for the future.
